Automatic cigarette-delivering container



c. .1E-smc; v AUTQMATIQ CIGARETTE DELIVERINGaCONTAINER Aug.. 1 6, 1927.

Original Filed March 6 1925 4 Sheets-Sheet l .13mgG 16 192?.

JEsNlG AUTOMATIC CIGARETTE DELIVERING original Filed Marcha. 1925 CONTAINER 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 C. JESNIG AUTOMATIC CIGARETTE DELIVERINC CONTAINER 8 Original Filed March 6, 1925 4 Sheets-Skiset 3 H 1,639,296' Aug. 16, 192,7 c. JEsNlG AUTOMATIC CIGARETTE DELIVERING CONTAIIvER Original Filed March e, 1925 4 Sheetsheet 4 INV'ZYTOE v Cil Patented Aug. 16, 1927.

Urn-ren STATES tanzte CHARLES JESNIG, OF 1EHILADELPI-IIA,':PENNSYLVANIJLV` AUTOMATIC CIGARETTE-DELIVERING CONTAINER.

Application led March 6,1925, Seria1`No. 13,510. Renewed May 28, 1927.

My invention relates to new anc useful improvements in an automatic cigarette de H livering container, and more particularly to improvements on the structure,contained in my application bearing Serial Number 723,- 522, and has .for its primary object to pro'- vide a unique Vstructure of this-character for storing cigarettes and delivering the saine one at a time as desired.

Another object ot the invention is to provide a mechanism which may be manually actuatedv for delivering a single cigarette from a pile in the container to a tray from which the delivered cigarette may be readily removed.

A further object ot this invention isY to provide for separating the lowermost cigarette trom the others in the container, slightly lifting the pile of cigarettes in order to loosen them, holding the upper ones in suspension and preventing` them passi the exit. until the cradle has returned to its normal. position.

A further object of the invention isto provide a combined charging hopperl and cover whereby cigarettes placed in the hopper will he discharged upon a shelf from which they will pass into the cradle.

A still further object oii'the invention is to provide for returning the parts to their normal positions. y

1rWith these ends in view, this invention consists in the details of construction and combination of elements hereinaitter set forth and then specifically designated by the claims. Y Y

In order that `those skilled in the art to which thisinventionappertains, may under stand how to make and use the same, l will describe its construction in detail, referring by numerals to the accompanyingy drawings 'forming a `part of this application, in which f Fig. 1,1is a iront elevation ot an automatic cigarette deliveringcontainer constructed in accordance with my invention.

Fig. 2, is an end view thereof.

Fig. 3, isa plan view of thesaine.

Fig. el, is an end view with the near side end wall removed, with a portion of. the cradle brolren away and shown in section and thedelivering mechanism shown in normal position while Vthe combined charging hopper and top is illustrated in a partially open posit-ion. Y

F ig. 5, is a similaiview showing the deliif'ering mechanism in a position to'deliver the lowerinost cigarette and the-combined charging hopper and cover in a closed position.

F ig. 6, is an inner face view of one of the end Wall plates.

Fig. 7, is an edge view thereof.

Figa V8, is a section at the line 8 8 of Fig. 6.

Fig. 9,.'is a section at the line 9 9 oC Fig.

A Fig. 10, is a perspective view of the front wall and its associated baille. y

ig. ll, isa. similar view oft the bacl: wall, shelf and tray. Y

Fig. l2, is also a perspective view of the combined charging hopper and cover.

Fig. '13, likewise' is a perspective viewol the cradle. f

Fig. le, is a perspective view of the operating lever. s Y

Fig. l5, is a perspective view. or one of the cigarette separaters.

F ig. 1G, is also a perspective viewof 4one ci the links connecting the operating lever and cradle. l y i ln carryingout my ,invention as here embodied, l0 and ll representthe sides, the side walls or side plates of the container `and are similar' to eachl other with the ei;- ception that one is a right hand and the other al lett handA one but a description of the construction ot one will answer for that oi1 both. llach side wall or plate has an inturned flange i2 ruiming substantially entirely. aronnr thersaine but is cutaway at the 'trontedg'e o'l the plate as indicated at 'llbelow which point a notch let is producedv and some distance above vthe cutaway portion-is slotA l5.

djacoi l the upper end ot each rplate is formed a. raised surface orelevation 1G having` Yan irregular contour, yportions of which with the flange form grooves 17 and p i groove i8 is set an edge ol the back .wall 19 the upper end of whichterminates short of the ripperv endA of the side plates vwhile from the lower end -ot said back plate is 'formed the bottom wall'QO from which extends the tray 2l having itsouter portion hiru-reared by the'slot 22 to produce'a pair oti'lngers ffuptnrned to fac-tas stops fora. cigarettewhile the slot 22 permits the insertion of a persons finger orY thumb between the lingers 23 for the removal of the cigarette and when in place the tray is inclined as plainly shown in Figs. 4 and 5. The bottom wall 2O and tray 2l rest against the shoulder 24 formed by the raised surface 25 and said bottom wall is held against this shoulder by the lug' 25 while the tray projects through the notches 14 in the side plates.

intermediate the height of the back wall is a shelf 9.6 which isl Xed to the inner surface of said back wall in some suitable manner, as by welding, and this shelf projects part way across the interior of the container in an inclined position, as shown in Figs. 4 and 5.

At the front of the device between the two end plates isI mounted the front wall 27 which sets in the grooves 17 in said end walls while the lower end of the front wall is bent inward at Q8 to give free access to the tray 2l without having; to project the tray a great distance bevond the front of the device. This front wall is notched as at 29 on each edge to correspond with the notches l5 in the flangesI of the side end plates. A baffle plate 30 is fixed to the inner surface of the front wall intermediate its height and extends part way across the interior of the container toward the shelf 26 but spaced therefrom and this baille plate is inclined as plainly shown in rigs. 4 and 5. The lower inner extremity of the baille plate terminates in an apron 31 of arcuate cross sectional shape and said apron is of less length than the baille plate 30 so as to terminate short of the end edges of the baffle plate 30, thus in effect providing cutaway portions 32.

A cradle 33 is swingingly mounted upon a shaft 34 within the compartment below the shelf 26, the ends of said shaft being riveted to the end walls or plates 10 and l1 which latter are provided with internal bosses 35 to strengthen the end plates in the region where the ends of said shaft pass therethrough. rllhe cradle 33 includes a simultaneously semi-cylindrical body 36 and an open ended spout 37, the front wall vof said spout having two slotsSS running longitudinally or endwise thereof for apurpose to be later described, while the upper end of the oracle has two different levels indicated at 39 and 40 the edge or level 39 coacting with the underside of the shelf 26 to limit the rearward movement of the cradle which is caused by the spring 41 having' one end. attached to a finger 42 carried by the cradle spout and preferably fashioned therefrom, as the removable element while the other end of said spring is attached to a linger 43 fashioned from the rear wall 19. The upper edge of the cradle of a lower or different level 4() is adapted to coact with a portion of the raised surfaces or elevation 16 to limit the forward swinging movement of the cradle as will be obvious by reference to Fig. 5. rEhe swinging of the cradle in a forward direction is produced by the operating lever 44 which is of dual construction, or in other words, includes two lever members 45 having their outer ends connected to an integral presser or cross bar 46. The operating lever is pivoted by means of rivets 47 or their equivalent passing' through the lever members 45 and the end walls or plates and the inner ends of the lever members have apertures 48 therein to receive the tongues 49 formed in the ends of the links 50 by partially cutting out sectionsy of the metal and bending` the same into a different plane from that of the major portion of the links. At the ends of the links opposite the tongues are formed apertures .5l for registration with the pins 52 on the ends of the cradle adjacent their forward upper edges.

Adjacent the lower end of each end plate and toward the rear thereof is pivoted a lever arm 53 bv means of a rivet 54 or its equiva lent passing through an aperture 55 at one end of the lever arm and through 'an end wall. From the end of the lever arm opposite its pivot point projects an integral cigarette separating wing 56 which projects into one of the slots 3S in the cradle spout so that as said cradle is oscillated the wings 56 will, in effect, be projected between the two lowerinostcigarettes in the cradle7 or more particularly in the spout, so as to permit the lowermost cigarette to rollout along the tray 2l, as plainly shown in Fig. 5 and preventing the succeedingl cigarettes passing out. Due to the swinging of the cradle7 which raises the level of the slots 38 the cigarette separating` wings will be elevated to loosen up the pile of cigarettes within the container and time the delivery of the cigarettes whereby they will be delivered singly in succession through the movement of lever 44.

rlhe reference numeral 5T denotes the combined cover and charging hopper which is of general semi-cylindrical shape and is rotatably mounted upon the spindle 58 passing through the end walls or plates 10 and 1l and through the ends of the cover-hopper vof the ends of the spindle riveted or headed on the outer surfaces of the end walls or plates. Said end walls or plates are strengthened in the region where the ends of the spindle pass therethrough by the formation of bosses 59.

The cover-hopper is preferably formed from a single sheet of material so blanked as to provide al body portion 60 and integral ends 6l which join with the body at points 62 and the blank is fashioned so that said body assumes an arcuate shape with the ends at right angles thereto and preferably within the same. One part of the body 60 projects beyond the straight edges of the ends 6l to provide an extensionf in which is formed a teat 64 for coaction with. the depression 65 in the upper end ofthe rear wall 19 when the cover-hopper is in a closed posit-ion as shown in Fig. 5, to hold the cover in a closed position. From the opposite side or edge of the body 60 projects an outwardly extending finger piece 56 for coaction with the upper edges of the front and'back walls to limit the movements of the'cover-hopper and. also acts as the means for rotating said cover-hopper. y

When the cover-hopperis 'opened to. a position similar to that shown in F ig. t or until the nger piece 66 engages the upper edge of the back wall 19 it ythen acts as ay tray or hopper to receive a number or pile of cigarettes and when therein the cigarettes will bein parallelism. Upon rotating the cover hopper by taking hold of the finger piece 66 and returning it to or toward its normally closed position the cigarettes will roll therefrom into the compartment Vabove the shelf 26 and on to said shelf and the battle plate 8O by which said cigarettes will be guidedv in to the cradle. Some of the cigarettes will enter the cradle spout andr wardly projecting arms 23. The oscillationof the cradle will cause its' spout to move transversely relative to the separating wings 56 so` that the cigarette nextto the lowermo'st one will roll upon the separating wings and be retained in the spout as the lower` most one rolls away and thisaction will force the succeeding cigarette toward the rear of the spout so as to be clear ofl the inner ends of the separating wings during its descent in the spout. As soon as pressure on the operating lever is relased the spring 41 will return the cradle and its spout to their normal position shown in F ig. iwhere they will be stopped by the contact of the higher edges 39 of the cradle withv the shelf 26.

A cigarette having been delivered it may be readily removed from the tray 2l by the prospective user, easy access beingr had thereto through the medium of the slot 22.

The side plates or walls l0 and l1 each preferably have feet 70 formed therewith whichare apertured as at 71 to receive suitable cushions 72 so that the device may beV placed upon any surface without marring the same.

Of course I do not wish to be limited to the exact details of construction as herein shown `as. these may be varied within the limits of the appended claims without departing from the spirit of my inventionA Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new anduseful is l.. A device of the. character described comprising' a container open at the top and provided with an outlet at the bottom,` a

siiclf projecting from one ofthe walls ofA the container intermediate itsvheight and of the container and projecting toward the shelf terminating short thereof to leave a passageway between said shelf and battle, aV cradle swingingly mounted below the shelf to receive cigarettes passing through the space between. said shelf andl battle, an open ended spout depending from said cradle to hold cigarettes'in a. single vertical stack, means normally closing the lower endy of Said spout, which means'terminates in a tray outside ofthe container, means to oscillatethe cradley whereby the lower end ofy the spout ywill be moved away from the means normally closing it to permit a cigar- ,et-te to roll therefrom onto the tray, means projecting'into the spout to separate the lowermost cigarette from the others in the cradle to preventy said other.r cigarettes descendingduring the oscillation of the cradle, and means tendinaf to hold the cradle in its normal or upright position;

2. The structure s et forth in claim f lv wherein the cradle operating* means coinprisesan operating lever including-g;A two lever memberseach pivoted to -an end wall of the container, a` presser .or cross bar integral with thevouter ends ofthe levermembers, and links each having an end pivotally kconnected with the cradle and the other end fashioned t0 provide a tongue in a dierent plane to the body of the link for insertion in an `aperture Ain the innei end of a lever member.

3. A Ydevice of the chaiacter described comprising a container open at the top and provided'with an outlet at the bottom, a shelf projecting from one ofthe walls of the container intermediate its height and terminating short of the opposite side of the conta-mena baille carriedby the opposite wall of the container and projecting toward the shelf terminating short thereof and leaving' a passageway between said shelf and baffle, a cradle swingingly mounted below the shelf to receive cigarettes passing throughV the space between said shelf battle, an open ended spout depending from said cradleto hold cigarettes in Va single vertical stack, means normally closing the lowerend of said spout, which means terminates in a tray outside of the container, means to oscillate the cradle whereby the terminating short'of the opposite side of ther container, a baflie carried` by the opposite walllower end of the spout will be moved away from the means normally closing it to permit a cigarette to roll therefrom onto the tray, al pair of cigarette separating devices each comprising a lever arm pivoted to an end wall of the container', and a wing' projecting through a slot in the cradle spout so that as the cradle is oscillated to move the spout forward the cigarette next to the lowermost one will roll upon the wings and thev latter lifted to loosen the cigarettes in the cradle, means whereby the cradle may be manuallyoscillateth and means to return the cradle to its normal upright position.

il. ln a device of the character stated, a container, a shelf projecting' from one wall of said container, a baffle plate carried by the other wall of the container and projecting toward the shelf but terminatingshort of its adjacent edge to provide a passageway, said shelf and bathe dividing' the interior of the container into two compartments in communication through the aforesaid passageway, a cradle swingingly mounted in the lower compartment of the container with its upper open end underlying the passageway between the baille and shelf, the movement of said cradle in one direction being limited by contact thereof with the shelf, means to limit the movements of the cradle in the opposite direction, an open ended spout depending from the cradle, said spout having slots in one side thereof, and means pivoted to the ends of the con'- tainer and including wings and projecting through the slots into the cradle spout for separat-ing the lowermost cigarette from the others in the cradle, a bottom wall underlying the open end of the spout for normally closing the same. an inclined tray projecting from said bottom wall and slotted to provide a passage for apersons tin-l ger, said tray terminating in upturned tingers, operating means for manual. actuation to oscillate the cradle to move the lower end of the spout away from the bottom wall and give an initial rolling movement to the lowermost cigarette as it leaves the spout, and means tending to hold the cradle and its spout in a normal upright position. Y

5. ln a device of the character stated, a

pair of end plates or walls, a combined backand bottom wall and tray having the oppesite end edges set in suitable apertures in the end walls, a shelf lined to the inner surface of the back wall intermediate its height and projecting` therefrom in an inclined position to substantially the vertical median line of the end walls, a front wall having an inturned lower portion with its ends also set in suitable apertures in the end walls or plates, a baille fixed to the inner surface of said front wall and projecting in an inclined position toward the adjacent edge of the shelf but spaced therefrom, an arcuate apron depending from the inner end of the baffle plate, a spindle having its ends fixed in the end plates adjacent their upper ends, a shaft having its ends xed in the end platesa distance below the spindle, said spindle and shaftholding the above mentioned parte` together, a cradle journalled on the shaft, an open ended spout depending from the cradle and coacting with the bottom wall whereby the swinging of the cradle will open or close the lower end of the spout means to oscillate said cradle, and a spring tending to return the cradle to its normal upright position. v

ln testimony whereof, l have hereunto aiiixed my signature. 

